ieee - personalized electronic health record system for monitoring patients with chronic disease

8/13/2019 IEEE - Personalized Electronic Health Record System for Monitoring Patients With Chronic Disease

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Proceedings of the 2013 IEEE Systems and InformationEngineering Design Symposium, University of Virginia,Charlottesville, VA, USA, April 26, 2013

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978-1-4673-5663-3/13/$31.00 2013 IEEE 127


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This research involves the development of a personalized

electronic health record system for monitoring patients with

chronic conditions, that (a) allow for relevant data to be

entered by the patient, (b) make relevant data available to

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will generate reports and graphs for the data and (d) will

provide secure storage of the data.

The app is a HIPAA-compliant medical research tool able to

collect data from patients, store it conveniently for review,

and send it to healthcare providers; it is not limited to

chronic disease. Therefore, the app created has a potential as

a much larger commercial system that would help

companies, hospitals and clinics provide a more effective

care for their patients by controlling costs while improving

the quality of life and patient satisfaction.

A.Literature ReviewMany studies performed within US health-care system

have repeatedly shown that web-based technology can be

used to assist patients in taking an active role in monitoring

their health and self-manage their condition [3]. These web-based apps have the potential of increasing patient self-

management knowledge, skills in disease control and their

confidence in managing their health; especially in the case of

patients with chronic disease [3]. Furthermore, these apps

actively monitor the progress of diseases and provide

feedback to the care giving team that effectively reduces

medical errors and costs [4].

Prior to designing a new product, research needs to be

conducted to analyze the availability of comparative

products. Many versatile, customized applications (apps) are

currently used for monitoring patient care. Most apps are

first used on a small scale for testing the design and usability,

and then provide background for the design of a new,

improved app.

Researchers at Stanford used Tele-health technology to

improve coordination of care [5]. Researchers examined two

clinics in the Northeast US that had implemented the tele-

health Buddy program using an experimental and control

group, and studied the effect of the program on quality and

spending for patients. When the tele-health Care Buddy

Program was compared to a control group, the tele-health

program had reduced spending of 7.7% to 13.3% or $312 -

$540 for each person per quarter. Mortality differences were

also noted in treatment and control groups. Utilizing both

tele-health technology and managed care has potential forreducing health care cost and improving care for persons

who suffer from chronic diseases. This study suggests that

carefully designed tele-health programs that are properly

implemented can reduce the cost of health care and

significantly reduce mortality rate.

New Technology has also been used effectively in

diabetes management [6]. Patient monitoring, particularly

among patients on insulin is important in limiting disease

progression, but can be labor intensive, costly and

cumbersome therefore there is a need for improved

monitoring systems. In a recently conducted study published

inJournal of Diabetes Science and Technology, Dr. Rao and

his colleagues compared the effects of three iPhone diabetes

data management applications; the Diamedic diabetes

logbook, the blood sugar diabetes control and the wave-

sense diabetes manager [7]. Surveys sampled 23 individuals,

who entered data manually based on self-reports on variables

like ease of life, time to enter, request for help, data sharing,

and application trustworthiness. Patients found the WDM

application easiest to use, fastest and most trustworthy. The

study provides important guidelines for monitoring

symptoms of patients; however, the manual data entry was

cited as a weakness. Another study conducted by Roy et al.,

[8] researchers in the area of ParkinsoQV GLVHDVH XVHG D

wearable sensor-based system to assist with assessment of

motion disorders. This system was used to continuously

monitor PD disorders to distinguish between normal tremors

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from their study indicated that sensor technology and

software processes could be used to improve the function ofwearable sensor-based application used for monitoring PD

disorders during unrestricted activities.

In another study, researchers from the University of

Denmark in Vienna, Austria, have been testing a new

wireless medical sensor to study fatigue in MS patients [9].

The researchers wanted to prove that they could find more

indicators and warning signs of fatigue using their wireless

sensor than those perceived after the usual measurement tests

for physiological parameters in MS patients. They planned to

recruit three groups (10 fatigued MS patients, 10 non-

fatigued MS patients, 10 age-matched healthy control) of ten

persons each between ages 20-65. Groups were to bemonitored continuously for 24 hours after undergoing

memory and fitness test. A wireless data acquisition system

converted signals and send them to a wireless router, then to

a computer. Devices were used to measure ECG signs

continuously, EMG modules for measuring activity of

muscles, body skin temperatures, eye movement and motions

signals. Data accumulated is to be related to physiological

differences in the groups. However, no final results were

reported as researchers are still conducting trials.

The same researchers from the University of Denmark

also recently tested a wireless body measurement system

designed to study fatigue in MS patients [10]. Their aim was

to set boundaries and to define the functions that are related

to fatigue in patients suffering from MS. Their wireless

system used to measure fatigue is called FAMOS. It is

designed to identify fatigued MS patients from subjects who

are healthy, and to provide feedback continuously on ECG,

body-skin temperatures, EMG and feet motions. The study

presented the design of the hardware and the procedures

utilized. The researchers concluded that the FAMOS could

determine healthy subjects from fatigued MS patients and

provide data continuously on the capabilities and limitation

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ieee - personalized electronic health record system for monitoring patients with chronic disease

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